Compare towns
Chicopee vs Sutton vs Worcester vs West Springfield Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chicopee has the most affordable homes ($275k median).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
West Springfield Town has the shortest commute (19 min average).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Chicopee | Sutton | Worcester | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 55,295 |
9,452Lowest |
207,055Highest |
28,772 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4 5% above MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
40.1±2.6 about the MA average |
| Sutton and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Chicopee and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.2% MA: 47.3% |
34% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,615±$6kLowest 40% below MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$70,102±$2k 33% below MA |
$69,371±$7k 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$374,400±$7k 33% below MA |
$321,500±$16k 43% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50 34% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$1,487±$38Highest 16% below MA |
$1,144±$68Lowest 35% below MA |
| Worcester and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 36% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$4,733 21% below MA |
$4,380 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
60.1%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| West Springfield Town and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
11.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
58.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 27% below MA |
30 minHighest about the MA average |
24 min 17% below MA |
19 minLowest 34% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #247 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Sutton | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Sutton High School | South High Community | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
12.6 |
14.6Highest |
13.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.